A search of Hutaree militia member Michael Meeks'
residence turned up a cache of bullets and weapons, an extensive food supply and a a small plaque with barbed wire and the words "Remember Waco," prosecutors said in federal court today.

The former Washtenaw Community College student and ex-Marine was one of the last two members of the Hutaree militia group to undergo detention hearings in federal court in Detroit Thursday.

Michael Meeks

Prosecutors said the search of Meeks' living quarters found more than 1,000 tracer bullet rounds, 16 long guns, including an AK-47, and hundreds of cans of food, as well as the plaque referencing the deaths of more than 80 members of the group known as the Branch Davidians in a confrontation with federal agents on April 19, 1993.

Six other members of the group had similar hearings Wednesday. One member's hearing was held in Indiana. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald A. Scheer said he would rule by Friday on whether the Hutaree members held in Michigan would be let out on bail or detained.

All eight will be transported from the St. Clair County Jail, where they are being held, to federal court in Detroit Friday in case they're released or their lawyers file an appeal of a detention order.

In court proceedings today, federal prosecutors described Meeks' role in the militia as that of a gunner, who was tasked with providing covering fire during the coming war with the federal government. Prosecutors said Meeks, who served with the U.S. military in Desert Storm in Iraq, was a trusted member of the Hutaree inner circle.

Prosecutors said Meeks suggested within earshot of an undercover agent that the group should blow up a bridge and kill police officers. He also put together a "hit list" of federal judges and other officials to be killed, prosecutors said.

Meeks' lawyer, Mark Satawa, argued for Meeks' release, citing the fact he has worked for more than five years as a truck driver in the Adrian area as evidence of his ties to the community. Satawa also pointed out his family in court, including a brother who lives in Ypsilanti, and said that support system would help make sure he returned for court dates.

Parents of Michael David Meeks leave the federal courthouse after their son and other members of the Christian militia group Hutaree were arraigned for seditious conspiracy, attempted use of weapons of mass destruction, teaching the use of explosive materials and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence on Monday.

Satawa said Meeks' parents have offered their Manchester house as a place to which Meeks could be confined while his case works through the federal court system

Nine suspected members of Hutaree, self-proclaimed "Christian warriors" who trained themselves in paramilitary techniques in preparation for a battle against the Antichrist, were arrested after a series of raids across the Midwest.

All have been charged with seditious conspiracy, or plotting to levy war against the United States.

William Swor, the attorney for David Brian Stone Sr., said the government hasn’t proved any risk of flight or risk to the community from his client or others. Several defense attorneys said the government hasn't shown their clients did anything other than talk. "They (the government) may not like the fact that he (Stone) doesn't like the government," Swor said. "Our country was founded on a fear of government. They (Hutaree members) were preparing to respond not to take action."

Prosecutors disagreed. They said that when people with "dark hearts and evil intentions got together to overthrow the government, crimes were committed and public safety was in danger."

Today's hearing was a continuation of proceedings that began Wednesday, when prosecutors sketched out the group’s organization and walked the court through a series of meetings and trainings the group held in 2009 and 2010, many of which were attended by an undercover agent.

Comments

Ricebrnr

Tue, Apr 6, 2010 : 7:29 p.m.

What about the ACLU? The national ACLU believe in all of the Bill of Rights except the 2nd. Some of the local/state units will stand for the 2nd on occasion. In either case not sure if they'll stick their necks out for these guys especially as none can be considered part of any recognized minority.

walker101

Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 9 a.m.

What about the ACLU?

Sandy Castle

Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 8:50 a.m.

You are right. Let these guys to and free the prisoners in Quantamo, too, while you're at it. They just talk a good game and train like little boys for war games. They're just misunderstood individuals talking out their rear-ends.

Ricebrnr

Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 8:39 a.m.

All I know is everything I've seen so far is if these guys were talking smack about a business or person, say me for instance. The best I can hope for from law enforcement then would be an order of protection. The law wouldn't be able to do anything proactive. They could only do something AFTER something happenned. Also how many times have we read debacles when the government relies on intel from only one source? Oh there's a war over in the sandbox over one isn't there? Like I said, I'm not weighing in one way or the other, but I smell...trouble.

Huron74

Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 7:41 a.m.

A standard DA tactic is to poison the well against any controversial defendants by using the old "cache of guns and etc." photo op or press release. Hey Goldsmith: Do you know for a fact that this defendant personally threatened anybody at all? If so where did you come upon that info? If not then you're just poisoning the well against the presumed innocent too.

glimmertwin

Fri, Apr 2, 2010 : 3:56 a.m.

&gt;&gt; an extensive food supply The way we shop we have an extensive food supply, too. Should I be worried? Should I remove any plaques I have in the house?

catydid

Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 9:01 p.m.

I'm thinking they could get a lot more people on seditious conspiracy. All they have to do is read the public forums these nut jobs post on.

mike from saline

Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 8:52 p.m.

I heard from a source close to the investigation [good friend of mine], they had KNIVES too!!! DRAWERS full of them!!!

Ricebrnr

Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 5:12 p.m.

OMG!!! They had food and guns and a plaque?!?!!? Jeez wonder how many residents in the area have food and guns and maybe a plaque laying around... Waiting to hear more but I smell a debacle coming...

clownfish

Thu, Apr 1, 2010 : 4:35 p.m.

18 U.S.C.A. 2385 (2000), which outlaws advocating the overthrow of the federal government by force The crime of seditious conspiracy is committed when two or more persons in any state or U.S. territory conspire to levy war against the U.S. government. A person commits the crime of advocating the violent overthrow of the federal government when she willfully advocates or teaches the overthrow of the government by force, publishes material that advocates the overthrow of the government by force, or organizes persons to overthrow the government by force.-legal-dictionary.com